Lawn mower



Jan. 30, 1923. M4354. A. JOHNSTON. LAwN MowER. FILEDFEB. 4. 1916.

Patented dan. 3Q, 1923.

illill Q ALLEN JOHNSTON, OF OTTUllWA, IOVA, ASSIG-NOR TO JOI'INSTON RESSED GEAR Y COMPANY, QF OTTUMWA, IOWA, A COBPORA'LEON OF IOWA.

LAWN MDWER.

Application led February 4, 1916.

.To all who/m. t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ottumwa; in the county of lVapello and State of iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lawn Mowers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates in general to lawi'i mowers and has more particular reference to the reel and reel s laft of a machine ot this character.

L principal object of the invention is the provision of a reel shaft and accompanying parts which may be readily adjusted as the parts wear in use, and this without inter'- ference with the strength of the parts or their driving connections in use.

further object of the invention is the provision of such a mechanism which may be manipulated for the purposes of adjustment without requiring' the use of any special instruments or tools, and also without requiring the person adjusting` the machine to exercise special skill, care or knowledge.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a mechanism which when having been once adjusted will retain the parts in fixed relationship and this without requiring the provision of any auxiliary locking members or elements, thereby enabling` an adjustment to be made and maintained by merely bringing the parts into desired relation.

A. still further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism having these and other advantages which will not appreciably increase the cost of alawn mower provided with it and which may be cheaply constructed and assembled and consisting of t'ew and simple parts.

.Gther objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the -accompanying drawingl illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lawn mower in which is embodied my present invention;

Fig'. 2 is an enlarged section taken transversely of a. part of the mower shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged sectional view of the adjusting member; and

Serial No. 78,085.

Fig. l is a perspective view of the latter.

For the purpose of illustrating` my invention l have shown on the drawing a lawn mower having driving wheels 11 carrying a suitable frame 12 and actuating', as will be later described. a reel 13 mounted upon a reel shaft 14. Within the treads 15 of each driving' wheel 11 is positioned an internal gear 16 which meshes with a pinion 17 connected by n, ratchet (not shown) with the reel shaft 1e in the usual manner. The frame 12 is provided with apertures 18 through w rich the ends of the shaft 14 eX- tend. The shaft 14 turns in bearings generally designated at 19 and disposed about the apertures 18. These bearings are antifriction and consist in the present instance of a series of balls 21, each series mounted in a race-way deiined in part by a coniining plate or ring 22 and in part by a frusto-conical tapered surface 23 located at or near an end of the shaft 14. rPhe surface 23 in the present'instance is provided upon a collar 2er secured by a pin 25 upon the end of the reel shaft. Suitable guards or housings 26 are provided to exclude dust from the bearings.

The reel, in accordance with custom, consists of a plurality of spiral blades 2T carried upon spiders 28 which embrace the shaft at their centers. In the present instance the two end Vspiders have a driving' engagement with the shaft, so that when the shaft rotates the reel nieves with it in use. The shaft lll in the present instance consists of two parts 31 and 32 arranged in alignment with their adjacent the usual lendsthreaded at 33 and 34. These ends are connected by a yielding or spring sleeve threaded internally in accordance with the threads on the adjacent ends of the shaft parts 31 and 32. The ends 33 and 34 are threaded in diierent fashion, in the present instance being shown with one set of the threads coarser than the other, so that turning of the sleeve 35, as will be later described, causes the shaft to lengthen yand shorten in accordance with the direction of rotation of the sleeve. This rotation is given the sleeve througi the insertion of any suitable nail or other thin strong in strument through apertures 36 disposed through the sleeve and located between the adjacent ends of the shaft when in any position. One part 32 of the shaft is tiX-edly roo secured in the present instance by a pin 3T, with an end spider.)8 ot the reel, and the other part 3l of the reel shaft has a slidingl engagement with the spider. his sliding engagement in the present inst-ance is pio vided by slotting ono-pposite sides at 3) the hab 38 ot the spider and positioning a pin l1 through the shaft part with its ends extending;` into the slots.

The sleeve is of spring steel and is slit longitudinally at 42. It is so dimensioned that when placed in the positionshown it will be sprung to somewhat larger diameter, ceasingi it to eiser-t a strong spring pressure apen the ends olf the shaft parts which` are held by it. TWhen thus constructed it maintains the parts in adjusted relationship '1nd itt-.ont the provision ol an)v auxiliary nnember. luljnstmcnt may be made by merely insorting` a nail or other tool in the 4apertures' P16 and turning; the sleeves until the desired igitness is telt at the bearings. As the oearings wear trom use the adj nstnient may be altered by a repetition of the steps. The device is simple, composed o tew cheaply provided parts and can be readily mani-pnlated by the average user without special equipment and without the aid oi skill or a soecial knowledge ot machinery.

lt is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the` foregoing description, and it will be agparent that various changes may be made in the forni, construction and arrangement ot the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacriicing` any of its materia-l advantages, the 'torni hereinbetore described being;- merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

l claim:

l. ln lawn mower the combination of a two-part reel shaft, each part carrying a conical tace Yforming a part of an antitriction raceway, and a connection between said shaft pai-s comprising a sleeve adjnstably engaging adjacent portions ot said shaft parts to adjust the conical faces.

n..l'n a lawn mower, a reel shaft coniprising a pair ot rods placed end to end and each carrying a conical face forming,l a part ot' an anti'friction raceway, and a connection between theends of the rods ior moving them axially with respect to each other to adjust said faces. i

3. In a lawn mower the combination of a two-part reel shaft, each of said parts earryiff a conical face ii'orming` a part ot an ainiijrxction race-way, and means connectingl "aid parts together and adapted to more d parts to adjust said anti-tration raceways, said means eoniprisingf aspiring; sleeve in thrcader'l engagement with adjacent ends et said parts.

in a lawn mower the eombiiiatio-n ot a two-part reel shaft, eac i of said parts carrya conical face forming a part ol" an anti- ;f lotion race-way, and means connecting lpars together and adapted to move aid parts to adjust said anti-friction taceways, said means comprising a slit springy metal sleeve in threaded engagement fith adjacent ends ot said parts.

ln a lawn mower, the conibiinition oit a iframe, twospart reel shaft, an antiinrietion .bearing between each said shait vpart and the traine, and a connection between said shaft parts torA movingthem axially with respect to each other to adjust the bearings'y faces ot the shaft parts with respect to the bearingfaces ot 'the trame.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto my hand and seal in the yQresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLEN JOHNSTON.

lVitnesses z Sn) J. PALMER, A. H. MACDONALD. 

